The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1887-07-27
TI,a Historical Renninn.

Hciu tiA6ll I6uulOH Ut In6 OOlRDufy Deer
Park yesterday. The rainy weather had
put back the work of the farmers so
much that large numbers were prevent
cd from attending. There were, how
ever, about five hundred people present,
and the addresses were listened to with
much interest. The entire programme
wasgone through With, all the gentle
men announced appearing and reading
papgfs.
Below we give the first paper read
that of Rev. W. w. Bullock, Of this city.
Others will be given next week.
1.-THE FOUNDATIONS ON WHICH OUR
FATHERS BUILT.
We meet here to- day as the children
of patriots we would not be content
with any lesser title we seek no greater.
We are citizens of no mean country we
come of sturdy stock. There flows in
our veins the blood of martyrs, patriots,
statesmen; our homes are on the soil
hallowed by the footprints and marked
with evidences Of this noble lineage.
Our work and toll of to-day is In the
fields, and forests, and hamlets, where
our fathers and mothers labored, and
where numerous evidences thereof re-
main. 1t would not be wise for me to
attempt, should / dare, to speak Of
their worth. L am not equal to the task /;
to more competent pens than mine must
that work be committed.
The past lives in the present, aud the
present will live in the future. The
foundations laid by the fathers in the
past yet remain, and methinks WILL re.
main but the founders are gone on
sunny slopes of our majestic cliffs the
mortal was laid away In hope OF the I'M
mortal "they rest from their labors,
but their works do follow them" The
noble Delaware river, forming the bound
airy line between our counties, that play
ed upon its rocky bottom, as upon a
harp, muffied echo chorus, to the lula
by sung by maternity at the side of now
ancient cradles, still harmonizes with the
voices of the mothers of to-day, as they
sing hush, my babe" over those same
cradles to those who, we hope, shall carry
forward undimmed andlto greater. heights
Of glory the bequeathment of an unsul-
lied patriotism, and who will build WISE
ly on the foundations which the fathers
laid.
In this, the one hundred and eleventh
year of our national Independence, we
cannot behold the magnitude of our in
stitutions nor mark the rapidity of pro-
gress during those years, without inquir-
ing what were the special features of
that early planting, wherefrom has
sprung our present greatness.
In the religious life, in provisions for
education and in loyalty to the Govern
ment of our forefathers, we can, | think,
find the rock foundations that give sta
bility to the Nation to-day; and in the
work of laying these, we all feel proud
OF the fact that within the limits of the
two counties represented here lived not
few DC ople who played no unimportant
part in forming these base lines.
Turning to the religious life OF the
past, we find that with the first settlers
came the church and preachers of the
Gospel; meeting-houses were as numer-
GUS as tho villages and the worship OF
God and the keeping of His precepts
was as much feature of daily life as
tilling the soil All the scant records
Of the past, whenever they touch upon
the subject, make mention OF the rigor-
GUS observance of religious professions.
The Sabbath was regarded and kept as q
holy day, and the folks went to meeting
with regularity that it would be de-
| lightful to see again.
In June, 1778, the battle of Monmouth
was fought. Preparatory thereto Wash.
inqton crossed the Delaware from Penn.
sylvania. At a point near what is now
the northerly extremity of Main street,
in tho city OF Iambertville, in stone
house, still standing, it issaid he passed
the Sabbath. Part of the troops crossed
on Saturday and the remainder on Mon
| day, but none on the Sabbath. The day
was too sacred for even such vital worl
as theirs. The incident speaks volumes
for the holy regard for the day and thai
such q recognition OF the claims of Goo
should be rewarded by glorious victory
for our army, is just evidence of the
Blessing that falls to those who "remem
bar the Sabbath day and keep it holy
| No secular labor, except of pressing
need. was performed on the Sabbath.
But the religious life was not confined
TO the Sabbath alone In their daily in
tercourse. in business dealings, religion
had q ruling place, and decisions were
made largely along this line. The Bible
was read and studied then as. fear, il
is not now.
John Hart, citizen of Hopewell and
ono OF the signers of the Declaration Of
Independence, sat regularly under the
ministry of Rev Isaac Eaton. of whose
church he was member. This will &C
count for the frequent use he made Of
Scripture in his addresses before Con
gress, and for his firm faith in God thai
kept him from faltering in the work nj
lotted his hand.
If the sun shone with unusual heat Oh
the early and the later rain were seem
ingly withheld, and the food crops suf
fered, the fathers instinctively turned tt
God for relief. A meeting was appoint
ed, perhaps, at early candle.light, ant
the entire neighborhood would gather IL
pray nightly unto God, and very offer
the answer came SO speedily as to detair
the people in the meeting house from
returning home until after the rain
Then another meeting was held, wherea
prayers Of thanksgiving were rendered
rnto the Oliver of every good and perfec
gift for His merciful incining unto theil
needs.
The fathers were not ignorant OF thu
conservative power of education ant
though taking excellent care of til,
present, they also planned for the fu
tu-e. The school.house was the com
piement OF the meeting house. Some
times one building served the double
! purpose.
As early as l718 !" the Log College
stood on the banks Of the Nesnaminy
In that yefr came Rev. William Ten
nent and his son William, from Ireland
At the Log College the son was educated
under his fathers tuition, and iron
thence studied divinity under his brothe
Gilbert, at New Brunswick How lonl
this college existed is not known, but
is certain that it was regarded with
jealousy commensurate with its import
apce, and no doubt il minute and full
RI .ord of its work had been kept W
should be able to trace its infiuenc